Key holder



D. ROBINSON Feb. 28, 1961 KEY HOLDER Filed July 5, 195'? INVENTOR' DAVID ROBINSON KEY HOLDER David Robinson, 3325 Hudson Ave., Union City, NJ.

Filed July 5, 1957, Ser. No. 670,195

13 Claims. (Cl. 70-456) This invention relates to a device for releasably retain ing a plurality of hangers, and more particularly to a key holder for releasably retaining a plurality of key hangers in a spaced relationship. In this device the key hangers are firmly retained during normal usage. However, when so desired, a hanger may be quickly disengaged from the holder.

The present invention comprises a relatively simple structure which may easily be constructed wholely of stamped or otherwise formed parts, preferably made of metal, and which may be assembled easily and cheaply.

The key holder of this invention is adapted to be engaged in a flexible cover, such as leather, as is conventional with key holders. However, the cover plays no part in the invention.

The invention, in one of its forms, comprises a base member having curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom. The fingers are spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the shanks of the key hangers but not to pass the head portions of the hangers. A resilient backing member is superposed on and secured to the base member to thereby provide a backing for the curved fingers and to close the slots between the tips of the fingers.

The key hangers are retained in the slots and are prevented from slipping olf the fingers by the resilient backing member.

Further and other details of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 1

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the key holder showing the key hangers retained in the slots between the fingers;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the holder of Fig. 1, show-.

States atent although preferably eyelets such as shown at 16 may be used. The backing member comprises a strip or plate of any resilient spring-like material, preferably spring steel. Backing member 5 has therein a series of slits 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, which slits are generally parallel to the slots between the fingers, and preferably the slits in the backing memberand the slots in the base member are displaced from each other with the slits in the backing member being located preferably at approximately the mid-point of the fingers.

' The rear face of the tipsof the fingers press against the backing member and preferably the tips are provided with flanges 13 which are reversely curved with respect to the fingers.

In using this device, the key would be attached to the key hanger and when not in use, would be supported in the key holder in the manner shown by key 9 in Fig. 1. In removing a key hanger, the key hanger is displaced from its normal position such as shown for hanger 10a in Fig. 2 to the position shown by hanger 10 in the same figure. The movement is continued until the head 11 of the hanger passes between the tips of the finger and the resilient backing member.

In replacing a hanger onto the holder, the reverse procedure is followed. In order to provide for a more simple means of inserting the head of the hanger between the tip of the finger and the backing member 5, flange 13 may be provided. In this manner the head of the hanger is inserted between the flange and the resilient backing member.

The slits 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 in the resilient backing member are provided as a means of controlling the inserting a key hanger.

each pair of adjacent fingers such as shown at 6. Posithose .at 4 which openingsare utilized'to secure thefikey holder to the flexible cover by means, for example, of rivets. Other means may be provided for fastening the key holder to the flexible cover.

Secured to the base member is a backing member 5, said members being secured to each other by any means When using, as material for the backing member, a spring steel which is relatively difficult to displace, it is desirable to provide the slits. It is not necessary to provide a slit corresponding to each finger. For example, slits 18, 19 and 20 may be eliminated, leaving only a slit at each end of the backing member. Similarly, if so desired alternate slits 13 and 20 may be eliminated. Under certain circumstances when it is desirable to provide for removal of the hangers with a minimum of effort, it may be preferable to position the slits in the backing member directly opposite the slots between the fingers. Alternatively, instead of providing a single backing member.5 having the slits therein, it may be desirable to assemble .a series of spaced plates, or springs, each plate acting as a backing member.

Key holders such as herein described are frequently used for car keys. In such a use, the key and the hanger being used extend generally upwardly from the remainder of the holder somewhat as shown in Fig. 2 except the shaft 12 would be in a more vertical position. Under such circumstances, the head 11 would be positioned at the nip of the end of the finger and the backing plate and might easily be slipped between the finger and the backing plate when suflicient force is placed upon the key holder. To avoid this, there is provided in the modification shown in Fig. 4., a pocket in the upper reach of the curved finger. This pocket is formed by extending the front of the finger upward and then reversely curving it downward before the flange. The pocket is shown at 22 and the head 24 of the key hanger 23 is seated in said pocket. 23a indicates a hanger in the normal position when a key is not being used. Except for the indicated pocket the structure of the modification of Fig. 4 is identical to that of the other figures and the hanger is removed or inserted therein the same manner.

I claim:

1. A holder for releasably retaining at least one hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the shank of said hanger but not to pass the head portion of said hanger, and a resilient spring-like backing member, said backing member being superimposed on and secured to said base member, the spring-like characteristics of said backing member urging said backing member into abutment with the rear face of the tips of said fingers to normally prevent passage of said head portion between the rear face of the tips of the fingers and said backing member whereby a hanger may be removed and inserted into said slot by sliding the head portion of the hanger between the tips of said fingers and the abutting surface of said resilient spring-like backing member.

2. A holder as in claim 1 wherein the tip of each finger comprises a flange reversely curved with respect to the finger to provide means for easily inserting the hanger into the slot.

3. A holder as in claim 1 wherein the backing member has therein at least one slit substantially parallel to the slot between the fingers.

4. A holder for releasably retaining at least one hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufiiciently to provide a slot to pass the shank of said hanger but not to pass the head portion of said hanger, and a resilient backing member, said backing member being superposed on and secured to said base member to provide a backing for the curved fingers and to close the slots between the tips of the fingers, said backing member having therein at least one slit substantially parallel to, and displaced from, the slot between the fingers.

5. A holder as in claim 4 wherein there is provided in the backing member a slit opposite the approximate midpoint of each finger. v

6. A holder for releasably retaining at least one hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the shank of said hanger but not to pass the head portion of said hanger, and a resilient backing member, said backing member being superposed on and secured to said base member to provide a backing for the curved fingers and to close the slots between the tips of the fingers, the upper reach of each'of said curved fingers being a reversed curve to provide a pocket for the head portion of the hanger.

7. A key holder releasably retaining a plurality of key hangers, each hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the shanks of said hangers but not to pass the bead portions of said hangers, a resilient backing member superposed on and secured to said base member to provide a backing for the curved fingers and to close the slots between the tips of the fingers, the tips of the fingers having a flange reversely curved with respect to the fingers to provide means for easily inserting the hanger into the slot, said backing member being provided with a plurality of slits substantially parallel to the slots between the fingers, there being one slot in the backing member opposite the approximate mid-point of each finger.

8. A holder as recited in claim 1 wherein the backing member extends above the rear face of the tips of the fingers.

9. A holder for releasably retaining at least one hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having a flat portion with curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufiiciently to provide a slot to pass the shank of the hanger but not to pass the head portion of said hanger, and a resilient spring-like backing plate, said backing plate being superposed on and secured to said fiat portion and extending, behind said slot, from the bottom of said fingers to the tips thereof to provide a backing for the curved fingers and to close the slot between the tips of the fingers by the spring-like action of said backing plate urging said plate against the rear face of the tips of said fingers.

10. A holder as recited in claim 9 wherein said backing plate is substantially as wide as said fiat portion.

11. A key holder for releasably retaining a plurality of key hangers, each of said hangers having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a base member having a flat portion with curved hanger retaining fingers projecting therefrom, said fingers being spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the fingers of said hangers but not to pass the head portions of said hangers, a resilient spring-like backing plate superposed on and secured to said flat portion, said plate extending from said flat portion to the tips of said fingers, said backing plate abutting the rear face of the tips of said fingers, the spring-like action of said backing plate urging said plate against said rear faces to releasably retain the key hangers'in said slots, the hangers being removable from said key holder by urging said resilient backing plate rearwardly to permit the heads of said hangers to pass between the tips of said fingers and the abutting surface of said backing plate.

12. A holder for releasably retaining at least one hanger having a shank portion and a wider head portion, said holder comprising a plurality of spaced curved hanger retaining fingers, said fingers being spaced apart sufficiently to provide a slot to pass the shank of said hanger but not to pass the head portion, and a backing member contiguous to the rear face of the tips of said fingers, at least a portion of said backing member being formed of resilient spring-like material to constitute resilient spring-like means constantly relatively biasing said rear faces and said backing member toward each other to normally retain said rear faces and backing member in abutting relationship to prevent passage of said head portion between said rear faces and the abutting surface of said backing member, said hanger being removed or inserted into said slot by the application of a force greater than said resilient bias to space said backing member away from said rear face whereby said head portion can pass between said backing member and said rear face.

13. A holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said resilient spring-like material comprises spring metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,474,315 Carmel Nov. 13, 1923 1,650,322 Buxton Nov. 22, 1927 2,401,753 Geller June 11, 1946 2,424,775 Segal July 29, 1947 2,477,536 Zarowin July 26, 1949 2,733,591 Schurner Feb. 7, 1956 J. Anew 

